Top 9 Things to Do in Greece with Family

Greece is filled with marvelous monuments, ancient ruins, and architectural masterpieces that parents and their children can visit to unravel the mythology of Ancient Greece.

From the Acropolis’ crumbling columns and white pillars towering over Athens to the captivating old-world theater at Epidaurus, as well as the over 70 architectural wonders in Olympia, Greece’s mythos comes to life in famous sites from the capital to coastal towns and mainland cities to secret villages. Families with children can appreciate the wonders of Ancient Greece that inspired old films like Hercules and continue to inspire modern superhero stories.

You and your children can also explore the Knossos Palace on Crete, swing around Cape Sounion to the Temple of Poseidon, and walk among ruined monuments honoring the Oracle of Delphi. The Peloponnese region also holds secrets of the past and exploring the mainland mysteries is one of the Top 8 Things to Do in the Peloponnese with Family.

Best Ancient Sites in Greece: The Acropolis • The Parthenon • The Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus • Olympia • Knossos Palace • The Temple of Poseidon • Delphi

The Greek islands in the Aegean Sea are dream destinations for parents and their children as family-friendly beaches invite everyone to enjoy the seaside splendors along sun-washed shores.

You and your children can head for the fishing villages and stroll long seaside promenades to piers where you will board private yachts, ferries, or speed boats to sail the sapphire seas of the Aegean that surround many of the Greek islands.

As you explore more of the 8 Best Islands to Visit in Greece with Family, glance across at the rocky headlands and pearl-white coastlines of Naxos, Paros, or Santorini. Mykonos is also an excellent island for families, with safe beaches for young children to play on and epic watersports for teens.

Best Aegean Islands in Greece: Naxos • Paros • Santorini • Mykonos • Rhodes • Milos

Learn more: Naxos Vacations & Tours • Mykonos Vacations, Tours & Trips

Cycling through Athens is a fun alternative to walking, allowing you and your kids to see more of the city in less time, and there are few better places to discover than the charming Plaka neighborhood.

Plaka is one of the city’s oldest, preserving ancient Athens history, while providing space for modern European artists to inject life and color into the city. Hand-painted murals cover walls, while quaint cafes with floral courtyards and busy squares invite you and your kids to embrace daily life in the capital.

Cycling trips through Athen’s historic Plaka neighborhood are excellent for families of all ages who can ride bicycles or e-bikes, as most of Plaka is for pedestrians only, helping you avoid busy roads.

Best Experiences in Plaka: Anafiotika • The Roman Agora • Tower of the Winds • Souvenir shopping • Greek food tours

Learn more: Athens and Santorini Vacation Packages & Tours

Sampling local cuisine in Greece is a highlight, and kids love to experience the flavors and textures of sweet and savory Greek delights, from mezze to galaktoboureko, custard-filled filo.

Take your children on a palate-pleasing adventure by exploring the tastes of traditional Greek treats, such as loukoumades, Greek donuts, and gyros, or juicy meatballs. Visit local markets, take in the hustle and bustle of your surroundings, and get to know the key ingredients used in daily Greek cuisine. Partake in cooking classes and discover hidden talents while creating delicious dishes to be enjoyed on the go and recreated in your family kitchen once home.

You can combine your kids' cravings for colorful Greek dishes with your adoration for fine wine on Greece Food & Wine Tours. These cater to families with children and are perfect for trips with your older kids.

Best Dishes and Treats to Try: Mezze • Taramasalata • Moussaka • Amygdalota • Baklava • Dolmadakia • Gyros

Discovering destinations on foot offers kids the chance to explore unique sights from new angles, and Meteora remains a family favorite for immersive experiences and breathtaking scenes.

The region’s trails can guide you and your children to the sacred monasteries that hang on towering rock formations. Once walked by monks, these routes share sweeping panoramas of mainland Greece and culminate at historic religious sites.

You can also choose transfers for easier access to the monasteries and if traveling with younger children. Either way, Meteora is one of the 10 Best Cities to Visit in Mainland Greece and exploring the monasteries is an experience as beautiful as it is educational.

Best Monasteries in Meteora: St. Rousanou Monastery • Holy Trinity Monastery • St. Varlaam Monastery • St. Stephen Monastery • Great Meteoron Monastery

Kayaking proves one of the most popular ways to witness the rugged beauty of Greece as a family. It shows off the natural beauty, while providing fun for the entire family.

You can paddle across the calm, crystal-clear waters past imposing rock formations to caves carved into the cliffs over centuries. Continue around forested headlands to hideaway beaches, where you may jump off your kayaks into the temperate waters and peek below the surface to see the marine life swimming amongst the coral.

Whether in Milos or Rhodes, you and your family will adore your time freely gliding across the Aegean Sea to castaway shores and dazzling reefs around popular islands.

Best Greek Islands for Kayaking: Milos • Rhodes • Crete • Corfu • Paros

Learn more: Milos Vacations & Tours • Rhodes Vacations, Tours & Itineraries

Art is a fundamental part of Greek culture, and the country’s museums and galleries preserve emblematic works you can view as a family. What’s more, you and your kids can create your own works of art inspired by the traditions of Europe’s great painters and mosaicists.

Pottery and ceramic making has a long history in Greece and your kids can enjoy the pleasures of crafting their own Minoan sculptures, Cycladic ware, or Athenian souvenirs. You could paint the Mediterranean seascape landscape in watercolor, create Byzantine icons, or build your own tesserae, ancient Greek tiles.

Crafting Greek art in ways that have stood the test of time is an enriching and rewarding thing to do in Greece with your children, and you can take your creations back home as chronicles of your visit.

Best Art Classes in Greece: Pottery and ceramic making • Tesserae • Marble carving • Athenian mosaics

Santorini’s volcanic activity has shaped its breathtaking caldera and you can embrace the famous scenes as a family by boat or on foot.

Luxury cruise liners wait at the harbor for you and your children to set sail around the dramatic caldera comfortably. On the other hand, walking routes climb the hills to viewpoints overlooking the cinematic landscape.

You can pair your tours of the Santorini caldera with Greek tasting tours, enjoy a picnic from above the caldera’s glimmering seas, or dine on a boat looking back upon the towering cliffs.

Best Experiences in Santorini: Luxury cruises • Walking tours • Fira and Oia village • Food tours • Beach days

Learn more: Santorini Vacations, Tours & Trips

Greece’s Aegean, Ionian, and Mediterranean seas teem with marine life, from dolphins to whales, sea turtles to sharks. You and your children can dive beneath the surface to see what lies below, ebbing with gentle swells in search of colorful creatures hiding in the coral or along the submerged cliffs.

Perfect for families with children who can swim, snorkeling in Greece is an opportunity to admire the Mediterranean’s unique sea life. As you paddle around you might find Mediterranean monk seals, striped dolphins leaping out of the water, or loggerhead turtles floating beneath the surface.

Many of Greece’s sparkling shores offer exceptional snorkeling in sapphire waters and the best way to experience this at the 15 Best Beaches in Greece as a family is on island-hopping tours that bring you to famous spots or secret bays.

Best Marine Life to Spot: Mediterranean monk seals • Striped dolphins • Loggerhead turtles • Basking sharks • Cachalots

Learn more: Greek Island Hopping Itineraries

From sun-tanning on breathtaking beaches to watersports on famous Greek coastlines, and so much more, Greece offers island and mainland adventures for families with children of all ages. Boasting a rich history across the shores and mainland regions, experience all there is on Greece Family Vacations & Tour Packages.

A fun and fulfilling destination for families with kids of all ages, you can explore the 7 Best Places and Cities to Visit in Greece with Family for a spectacular trip or learn more in our Greece Travel Guide.